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house and heard him learning, he said to himself, “If he got up so constant, unceasing pleasantness and sweetness. And then we attain wrongdoing and sin. Always be with me. Guard me and
early even though he isn’t getting paid, how much more should I true life that may properly be called life. rescue me from the blemish of craving food and drink.
get up early, since I am working to support my family.” Every time May I always eat in great holiness and purity, without
the young man saw the smith, he got up earlier, and every time the You will see your world in your lifetime! any bodily craving at all. May I always eat and drink
smith saw the young man, he got up earlier. In the end, the young food that has been purified to be human food. Shield
man accustomed himself to sleep very little, and he became one of me, guard me and rescue me, so that any food and drink
the lights of Hasidism.
that has not yet been purified to be human food will not
In truth, the essence of the good purpose of the holy
From here we learn that we must derive a lesson from those come into my mouth, because such food and drink can
people who pursue the vanities of this world: how much more soul is to attain the ultimate perfection of the will. destroy a person’s holy face, heaven forbid, so that he
must we must devote our time to serve Hashem—particularly, on That is the level of the will within will that the soul will will fall into sleep, heaven forbid. Rather, may I eat with
the Sabbath, which is so elevated and precious. But when a person attain: to possess a strong, true resolve for Hashem, great holiness foods that have been purified, foods that
suffers from smallness of mind and lack of attention, he neglects the may He be blessed, until it is absorbed into the “will of are as holy as the showbread, so that through them I may
precious hours of the Sabbath and sells them for a pottage of lentils. wills,” which is the “will within wills,” and which is the attain a good and joyful heart and a holy face. Rescue
He trades in the true delight of the Sabbath, which is taking delight perfection and pinnacle of all levels. me from foods that bring evil to the heart. (Likutei Halachot
in Hashem, for an imaginary Sabbath delight of eating and sleeping.
(Likutei Halachot 3:2) 60)
Why Reduce Delight? Master of the universe, You Who graciously give man
knowledge, have compassion on me. See how senseless
It is said that Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter, the author of the I am and how much I lack knowledge, in that I take
Chidushei Harim, was once asked why he doesn’t sleep very pleasure in sleep and I crave sleep—which means that
much on the Sabbath, since sleep on the Sabbath is called a delight. I crave death, because sleep is death. See how foolish I
He answered, “The answer to that is alluded to in Pirkei Avot. am, so that I take pride in sleep. See how many hours I
It states that the Torah is acquired with ‘reduction of sleep’ (Avot
6:6). If you object that sleep constitutes the delight of the Sabbath, have burned away in my life, how many precious nights
the mishnah states that the Torah is acquired with ‘reduction of Did you enjoy this book? I have destroyed, how many precious Sabbaths I have
delight.’ Yes, you can delight in the Sabbath by sleeping, but by If so, please help us spread the message of emuna lost. And they all join together to a total of years. Woe
doing so you are losing the holy Torah.” to me that I have slept away my life! Have compassion
around the world. Send your contributions to: on me. I am being murdered. I am being seized. I am
Rabbi Nachman of Tsheherin used to test children on their imprisoned in the ropes of sleep. Rescue me! How much
learning every Sabbath afternoon. One Sabbath, a child knocked Chut Shel Chessed the evil inclination oppresses me. ‘Be a surety for Your
on the door and, when he received no reply, he kept knocking, servant for good. May sinners not oppress me’ (Psalms
until Rabbi Nachman of Tsheherin got up from bed and opened the POB 50226
door for him. Rabbi Nachman told him amiably, “My son, if you 119:122). Please have compassion on me and graciously
knock once or twice and the door isn’t opened, you must consider Jerusalem Israel grant me Your wisdom, understanding and knowledge.
that perhaps the people in the house are taking a nap.” The boy Or call: Please give me knowledge, so that I will know that the
replied naively, “What, the rabbi sleeps on the Sabbath?” Rabbi desire to sleep is the most pernicious desire that exists,
Nachman of Tsheherin testified that from then on he no longer the source of all other evil desires. Give me a perfected
972-52-2240696 awareness so that I will realize that sleep is absolute evil.